The ever-increasing capabilities of computer networks and the internet has brought an increasing demand for information accessibility. Not only do people use desktop computers to access networked data information, various communication devices also provide a capability for displaying large volumes of information. It is increasingly important now for a user of modern communication devices to be able to sort through and make sense of the information available on a company-wide intranet, the internet and/or other networked communication infrastructures. Electronic information may be accessed by numerous users using many different types of display devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc.
Many internet users, for example, have a difficult time in focusing on specific information that they are searching for due both to the large amount of information which may be compressed into a single screen or web page and to the attempt of web page designers and marketers to draw the viewers attention to specific information, such as advertisements. Focusing on the important information can be a particular problem for computer users who are easily distracted, such as those who suffer from attention deficit problems. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have the capability to give the computer user the ability to focus on specific portions of displayed information and to de-emphasize other displayed text and graphic information.
Software is available for computers for reading text displayed on a computer monitor. This software is particularly useful for students having certain learning disabilities. For example, some individuals with learning disabilities have a significantly greater comprehension of oral information than information which they are reading. These individuals are helped when the information is read at the same time that it is displayed.